I was honored to be asked to provide the February Picks for the American Amateur Press Association which distributes members’ printing and writing efforts each month in a “Bundle”. You can see my article and other AAPA stuff here.
I bought this for a steal thinking it was a Golding, but paid a fair price or better for a Sigwalt. Since the manufacturer intended the parallel I can be forgiven. They were direct copies of the Golding Official #2. I was in search of an 1800’s tabletop press and may have gotten it just slightly. I got the look for sure with the decorative painting still intact on parts of the press. These were first made at the end of that century in 1899 and well into the 1900’s, but best I can find the round bases like mine came first and were replaced fairly quickly with square bases. Since they don’t have serial numbers there’s no way to better date mine. It prints pretty well and is great for demonstrating when drawing attention to our time period at the Conestoga Press.
My newest press in every sense. A Craftsmen Superior made of aluminum sometime in the 1970’s according to the company in Framingham, MA where you can still get parts today. The feed tables are slightly bigger than original and made by me out of red oak.
When I began printing in the early 1970’s I bought a 5×8 Excelsior, new from the Kelsey Company in Meriden, Connecticut. After a decade or more of no use I sold the press and most of the supplies. Now as my collection has been rebooted it was only natural to add one though the price has climbed significantly since I sold my larger one and I settled for an older, smaller, repaired one. I bought it from a sale at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The idea was to use it to demonstrate on the road at events for Conestoga Press.
April Fool’s day came a day late when our Magical Mystery Tour plans were a bit altered, but not cancelled. Some outside stops, though listed here, where not made and the cemetery tour was a drive-through, although we were briefly convinced that the gate we had driven through was locked behind us.
Craig takes a ride in the propane exhibit.
Duncan checks out the big machines at NMIH.
Not that I get in the area much, but would love to visit this museum. In lieu of getting on a plane and going there you can view a slideshow of many types (pun intended) of letterpresses in this guy’s collection. There ARE actually some models I could fit in my basement… or my pocket for that matter.
If you find you HAVE to see one in the flesh come on down to the corner of Oak and Main in Ephrata, PA on a Saturday morning between 9 am and noon and we might even let you take one for a spin.